Mount Cook Adventure Centre was founded by Colin Adams and Robin Sibson in the summer of 2015. Less than 12 months after receiving planning permission, the Centre is reaching it's final stages of completion as it prepares for the first guests due to arrive this July.

Colin and Robin were inspired by the landscapes and the abundance of outdoor facilities located in Derbyshire and the Peak District. Both being huge advocates for the benefits of outdoor activities and learning, Colin and Robin wanted to construct a Centre which would provide access to these fantastic outdoor facilities for all.

Robin & Colin pose for a photograph after completing The Four Inns back in March.

We caught up with Colin to hear about his best outdoor experiences, his favourite parts of Derbyshire, and the next adventures he has planned ...

Where did your passion for the outdoors come from?

Some of my best childhood holidays was on a beach in North Wales where we used to dig up the beach and make dams in a small stream.

What is your favourite outdoor activity, and why?

Fell running. Wind in your hair, view of the distant horizon, hope to get off exposed tops before you get too cold.

Is there an adventurous activity that you would love to try, but haven’t yet had the chance?

I would love to ride my motorbike around the Mediterranean. However the closure of Libya and problems in Syria make it unlikely. I should have done this in 2006 when it was a lot more stable than it is currently.

What’s been your greatest outdoor experience in Britain?

Swildon's sump 7 trip caving in the Mendips. A near death experience I never want to repeat.

Of all the places you’ve visited outside of the UK, which has left the most lasting impression?

Iceland. Everything about the place. Waterfalls, geysers, glaciers and icebergs all in the same day. Very other-worldy.

If you were a British wild animal, what would you be?

Squirrel. Looking for nuts is always fun in a forest, and plenty of sleep in the winter.

What’s your favourite food to eat in Derbyshire?

Got to be Bakewell Pudding. Sooooooo delicious.

What’s the best thing about Derbyshire as a whole?

It's got everything in easy bite sizes. Craggy Grandeur round Kinder, hidden valleys like Dovedale, beautiful pockets of wildflowers, moorland birds above Bleaklow and Black Hill. Ancient stone circles, big show off houses like Chatsworth and Haddon Hall, World Heritage sites and the birth of The Industrial Revolution. No other county has all this. The only thing missing is a coastline!